Advertising-sign



R. M. CRAIG.

ADVERTISING SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY], I917 1,374,282.

Patented Apr. 12,

3 SHEETS-SHEEI I IAIIIIIIII Irv/m R. M. CRAIG.

ADVERTISING SlGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY7.1917.

Patented Apr. 12 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. M, CRAIG.

ADVERTISING SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1917.

1 74,282 Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- To all whom it may concern:

RICHARD MORGAN CRAIG, 01. SAN ANTQNIO,

Anvnmisme-smn.

Be it known that I, RICHARD M. C AIG, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising- Signs, of whichth following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to advertising signs and has as its primary object to provide means whereby advertising matter may be displayed in a manner which will command attention to a greater degree than display devices heretofore employed. The device embodying the present invention, in its operation, involves the elements of motion, color, illumination, and mystery,

It is one aim of the invention to provide for the display upon a surface of a given area of advertising matter which by any other method of display would occupy at least twice the said area.

Morespecifically speaking, the invention contemplates the depiction by painting, printing, or any other suitable method, of at least two advertisements in overlapped relation upon a display surface of a given area,'.the advertisements being of difierent colors and then displaying said surface under conditions where the colors will be absorbed .independently. In one form of the invention, for example, an advertising band has printed thereon in overlapped or superimposed relation two advertisements in different colors as, for example, red and green, and this band is caused to travel past two transparent panes, one red and the other green, either with or Without illumination rearwardly of the band, and as the band so travels the advertising matter whichis in red will be absorbed in passing the red pane and therefore only the advertising matter in green will be'visible. On the other hand, the advertising matter which is in red will alone be visible in passing the green pane.

Thus a merchant, for example, may'employ a band bearing in diflerent colors and in completely superimposed relation two ad-' vertisements in diiferent languages and thus advertise his goods with the employment of a minimum advertising space and yet in such manner that the advertisements may be read by persons speaking different languages.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12; 1921.

Application filed m 7, 1917. Serial No. 186,995.

In this particular instance as the band is caused to travel beside the two panes the I colors Wlllbe absorbed by the respectivepanes and both advertisements'will be simul taneously displayed but ,without any con 1 fusion whatsoever, the advertising matter in red belng wholly invisible through the red pane and the advertising matter in green being wholly invisible through the green pane.

Likewise the principles of theinvention may be embodied in the displaying of statlonary advertising areas or surfaces by successively displaying such surface in the presence of a color medium capable of absorblng first one and then another of the colors in which the advertising matter is depicted. Whether theadvertising surface to be displayed is stationary or movable,

the principle of the invention remains the same, namely, the display of independent advertising matters by color absorption, the

said advertising matters being, however, ac-

tually overlapped or superimposed.

Another aim of the invention is to so ployed and mounted within a casing of minimum size.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the sign embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view drawings; 1 s Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tension ing device for use in connection with the endless sign band;

through the sign shown in Fig. 1' of the Figs. 4:, 5, 6 and 7 are views illustrating portions of different types of sign bands which may be employed in the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through a sign of slightly difierent structure; I

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 illustrating a still further modification;

' Fig. 10 is a view in front elevation of still another type of sign; t

Figs. 11 and 12 are views in front elevations of signs embodying a modified arrangement of the invention;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal sectional view illustrating a further modification of the invention' Fig. 14 is a vertical front to rear sectional .view illustrating one form of fixed sign;

Fig. 15 is a similar. view illustrating a modified. form of fixed sign;

Fig. 16 is a front elevation of the sign displaysurface to be employed in connection with the device shown in Fi 14;

Fig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 16 illustrating the sign display surfaces to be employed in connection with the device shown in Fig.15;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal sectional v ew lllUS- trating a further modification of the 111N611- tion;

Fig. 19 is a diagrammatic view illustr'ating the principle upon which the structure shown in Fig. 18 is based;

Fig. 20 is a detail vertical sectional vlew illustrating the manner of mounting one of the rollers about which the advertising band is assed; I

-ig. 21 is a perspective view illustratlng a further modification of the invention.

The mechanism employed in carrying out the invention is preferably mounted in a rectangular casing which, as it may be of any suitable construction, need not be specifically described, the said casing being indicated in general by the numeral 1. and being provided in its front, in that form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, with two transparent panes. one indicated by the numeral 2 and the other by the numeral 3, these panes being of glass. celluloid. isinglass,. or any other transparent material and being respectively red and green in color or of any other suitable colors. An advertising band of transparent or translucent material is mounted within the casing for travel and this band. which is indicated in general by the numeral 4, passes about a roller 5 having at one end a worm gear 6 meshing with a Worm shaft 7 which may be an extension of the shaft'ot an electric or other suitable moton or a shaft driven by said motor. The band is endless and passes also about rollers 9 and '10 at-one end of the casing and other rollers 11 and 12 at the other end of the casing.

' course, be adjusted so as to tension the spring 16 and thereby place the desired tenslon upon the band 4. By employing the roller 13, not only is the band tensioned to the proper degree to cause it to malntaln a flat condition, but also it is possible to house, within a casing of relatively small dimensions, a relatively long band and, therefore, there is economy in space and yet a maximum advertising area is acquired. The stretch of the band passing between the rollers 10 and 11 passes immediately in rear of the panes 2 and 3, as clearly shown in Fig.

2 of the drawings, and the motor is so geared With the roller 5 that the band will be caused to travel in a direction from right to left so that as the band passes the panes 2 and 3 the letters of the words comprising the advertising matter will appear in the order in which theyare arranged in spelling the words. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that in the position of the band illustrated, an advertisement or notice-in English appears through the pane 2 and a similar advertisement or notice. in Spanish appears through the pane A portion of the band shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated removed from the casing in Fig. 5, and by reference to this figure it will be observed that the Spanish and .Eng-

in preparing applied to the'band directly over the English matter. It will now be understood that as the band is caused to travel past the-panes 2 and 3. the pane 2 will absorlrall of the advertising matter which is printed in red. thereby exposing to view only the matter which is printed in green and in a like manner the pane 3 will absorb all, of the matter printed in green and display only the matter printed in red. of course. it is not absolutely essential that the diflerent. advertising matters be arranged in over lapped or superimposed relation but this is obviously preferable when it is considered that in such an arrangement advertising matter may be displayed which by any other method of display would occupy a band having an area twice that of the band 4. While I in the type of band shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings the two advertising mattersare printed in two different languages it will'be understood that many other arrangements may be employed. For example, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings the name of an article might be printed in red upon the band and some figure or symbol identifying said article might be printed in green so that the words would appear through the pane 3 vertising matter in Fig. 7 being each printed and. the figures or symbols would appear through the pane 2, the letters comprising the words disappearing as they reach the inner end of the pane 3 and figuresor sym- .bols appearing as they reach the inner end of the pane 2. Other examples of sign bands are shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the band shown in Fig. 6 having two advertisements thereon in different type but both in the English language and the letters comprising the adin two colors or, more specifically, the letter itself being printed in one color, and a' shadow representationthereof being printed in another color.

. As heretofore stated'the band 4 is trans-.

passes be mounted in-the manner shown in Fig. 20 of the drawings in which figure the numeral 20 indic'ates an attaching base having a-more or less rounded boss 21 upon which the lower 'end of the roller may rest and rotate without undue friction. The

' roller is disposed upon a spindle 22 and it will be observed that the said spindle extends upwardly centrally from the boss 21 and is unsupported at its upper end so that When it is desired to remove a sign band and replace the! same the top of the casing may be removed and the several rollers then slipped upwardly from their spindles. In

that form of the invention shown in Fig. 8

of the drawings the medium which bears the advertising matter is stationary and maybe in the nature of a plate 23 of glass or any other transparent or translucent material. The advertising matter is, of course, printed upon this plate and the plate is illuminated by lights 24 arranged within the casing. The numeral 25 indicates an endless band of transparent material, portions of which are of one color and other portions'of another color. For example, the advertising matter upon the plate 23 may be printed or otherwise depicted in red and green, in

, which event portions of the length of the band 25 would be red and other portions would be green. The bandis caused to travel by a motor 26 and, of course, as the different y colored portions of the length of the bandpass before the plate 23 the red characters will be displayed through the green portions of the band and the green characters will be displayed through the red portions of the band.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings is somewhat similar to the form first described inasmuch as an endless traveling sign band is employed. However, a

in this case the casing is divided midway between its endsby a partition 27 into two compartments, in one of which is placed-a green light globe 28 and in the other a red globe 29, these light globes, of course, taking the place respectivel of the anes 3 and 2.

By reference to ig. .10 of the drawings it w ll be observed that the device is not limited to'the use of two colors but that if desired four or more colors may be employed.

For example, the front of the casing shown in this figure embodies not only the red and green panes 2 and 3 but also panes 30- and 31 which are respectively positioned below the panes 2 and 3, the pane 30 being blue and the pane 31 being purple. In this instance, of course, the upper portion of the sign band would bear advertisin matters printed in red and green and the lower portion of the band would hear advertising matters printed in blue and purple. If desired the casing may be provided with three panes instead of two, as shown in Fig. 11. of the drawin two of these panes being indicated by-t e numeral 32, being, for example, green in.

color, and the pane which is arranged between them, and which is indicated bythe numeral 33, being red. With this arrangement of panes and employing an endless band, the advertising matter upon the band which is printed 'in red will disappear as it passes the right 'hand edge of the pane 33 and will reappear as it asses the left hand edge of the said pane. 'I he advertising matter which is printed in green will, of course, appear as it passes the pane 33 but. will not be visible when passing the panes 32.

In Fig. 12 of the drawings there is illustrated still another arrangement, a single pane being employed and indicated by the numeral 34; and at one end being red and at the other end green but with no lineof demarcation at the middle of the pane, the colors, on the other hand, merging into each other. When such a pane is employed with the endless band, .the advertising .giatter in red will be visible at one end of the pane and that in green will be visible at the other end of the pane and both the red and green advertising matter will be visible at the middle of the pane.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 13 of the drawings, the endless band bearing the red and green advertisin matter is caused to pass in front of red e ectric light bulbs 35 and green bulbs 36 and by means of an electric flasher, indicated by the numeral 37, the bulbs '35 and 36 are successively and intermittently lighted so that when the bulbs 35 are lighted the advertising matter in green alone will be visible and ing matter will immediately disappear and the advertising matter in red will appear.

The same principle is involved in the modified form of the invention shown in Figs. 14 and 15 except that in the instance of the form shown 1n Fig. 14 the display medium is in the nature of a transparent pane 38 having advertising matter printed thereon in red and een, the pane being stationary. In the orm of the invention shown in Figs. 15 and 17, two panes are employed, the upper one, for example, bearing advertlsing matter in red and green and the lower one bearing advertisin matterin yel- In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 18 of the drawings, a sign member in the nature of a transparent or translucent sheet of material, such, for example, as glass, is prepared in the manner shown diagrammatically in Fig.1!) of the drawings. In preparing the said member a stencil is employed comprising a number of stri s 40 relatively spaced a distance equal to t eir width and this stencil is disposed flat upon the blank sheet comprising the said member. Two signs are then ainted or rinted over said stencil, in over ap d reation, a sign in red being, for examp e, first painted and then a sign in reen. After the signs have dried the stenci isjshifted a. distance equal to the width of one of the strips and then two other signs'are painted or printed in the same manner, one, for example, in blue and the other in yellow. The sign member thus repared is mounted in the front of the casing of the device in any suitable manner, the same being indicated by the numeral 41. Either in front or in back of this member there is then mounted for shifting movement a counterpart of the stencil above referred to and in order that the barred screen thus provided may be shifted at the proper time, any suitable type of motor 42 is arranged within the casing and suitably connected, asat 43, with the said screen. Electric light bulbs 44, 45, 46 and 47 are located within the casing behind the displa member 41 and'these bulbs are res ectlve y, for examplepred, green, blue an yellow in color. In the operation of this form of the invention the motor first acts to shift the screemwhich is indicated by the numeral 48, so as to cover theportions of the dis lay member 41 which bear the blue and ye low signs, thereby exposing the portions ofthe display member bearing the red at'55 in difierent colors.

1,sve,aea

and green signs. The red light, for example,

is then lighted by any suitable flasher as heretofore described and immediately upon extin ishment of this light the green light is lig ted. The motor 1s so tuned that it will then operate to shift the screen to cover the red and green si ns and ex ose the blue. and yellow signs w ereupon t e blue and ellowglobes are successively lighted. Thus 1t will be seen that in this form of the invention four sis may be arranged in substantially overlapped relation and independently displayed.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 21 of the drawings a metallic closed cylinder 50 is suitably mounted as, for example,

.by brackets 51"and within this cylinder are arranged electric li ht globes which are of difi'erent colors. T e cylinder is formed in its up or or outer side with a longitudinally exten ing slot- 53 into which is fitted the lower edgeof a single piece or two pieces of plate, glass 54 hearing two szggns, as indicated n the operation of'this sign the electric light globes 52 are alternately lighted so as to illuminate the sign plates 54 thereby successively displayin the signs borne thereby.

aving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a device of the class described, transparent anes of difierent colors, a sign band movab e past the panes and bearing difierent advertising matter in different colors corresponding to the colors of said panes, and means for imparting motion to said band.

2. In a device of the class described, a traveling si 11 band having signs thereon in difierent co ors, means for imparting motlon to said band, and a medium through which the band may be viewed, said medium having difierent portions of its area of dif* ferent colors corresponding to the colors of the signs.

3. In a device of the class described, a pane of transparent material having a portion of one color and alportion of another' color, the colors gradua y blending atthe adjacent ends of the said portions, a sign band movable past the pane and bearing different advertising matter in different colors nerasaa play surface, means for imparting travel to said surface, the surface bearing in different colors and in non-registering relation, matters to be dis'jalayed, and means for simultaneously displayinrr successive portions of said surface in i; is presence of different color media each capable of absorbing a respective one of said colors.

6. In a device of the class described, a display surface bearin in difierent colors different matters to fie displayed, the components of the two matters being arranged Without regard to the arrangement of each other, means for imparting travel to the said surface, and means for lndependently displaying each of said matters by displaying said surface successively in the presence of color media each capable of absorbing a respective one of said colors.

I n. testimony whereof I aliix my signature. 20 

